Endless succession of small things

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  • January 29, 2009 at 1:38 am
    Sonya Shafer
    Moderator

    “Do not let the endless succession of small things crowd great ideals out of sight and out of mind.” (Charlotte Mason, “The Story of Charlotte Mason,” page 160.)

    January 29, 2009 at 3:30 am
    creed001
    Member

    Thanks so much for this timely quote. My family and I have switched recently to this method of schooling and I, personally, am sinking like a leaky boat. I have all these grand plans, I’m just struggling to implement them all. I think, because I pitched everything mid-year and began a new approach, I am a bit overwhelmed. My kids would happily go back to their previous schooling, but do seem to be enjoying the more hands on approach that we are trying to institute. I guess I just need to take everyone’s advice and slow down. Introduce each thing slowly as we completely change over to the CM approach. Anyway, thanks, you are a blessing.

    Christi

    January 29, 2009 at 4:05 am
    Esby
    Member

    Wow, I needed this quote. I feel like you can see through the computer screen into my day.

    So…any advice on HOW to not let the endless succession of small things crowd great ideals? I get the concept, but I could use hints in how to accomplish it.

    January 29, 2009 at 9:59 pm
    richpond
    Participant

    I’m with you Esby, I get the concept and agree wholeheartedly…but how do I stay focused and how do I follow through with what I have envisioned for our family.

    I hope someone has some good advice or hints.

    Shelly

    January 30, 2009 at 1:42 am
    stipegang
    Member

    I typed this up about a year ago (I guess it was a previous time that Sonya shared it) and posted it next to my school desk! Helps keep me focused. After watching the seminar DVDs I’ve now typed up the mottos and the habit we’re working on as a group and posted them on our “board”. If I could I’d type up every good quote I’ve heard and plaster my walls with them. Especially some of the ones y’all have recently shared.

    The only hint I have (I’m not nearly as eloquent as Sonya) is to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and to not let the “small and mundane” things get you down.

    Keep on, keeping on.

    Cindy in VA

    January 30, 2009 at 8:38 pm
    Sonya Shafer
    Moderator

    So much of this is about my mind-set and attitude. Two things help me most (and I still struggle to take advantage of this help all the time!):

    1. Setting and keeping in mind Biblical, realistic goals. That’s not a balance that is easy to keep (Biblical and realistic), but here are some examples. With school work, I have a big goal for each subject that I try to keep in mind. For math, for instance, my goal is that the girls will have honest dealings with others and be good stewards. Those are Biblical goals. Translate that into reality today, it means that if one comes to me with a problem with long division, I try to think in terms of “I’m helping her work toward a Biblical goal of honest dealings with others.” If my youngest mistakenly unloads a dishwasher full of dirty dishes (see this other thread 🙂 ), it helps me to think that I’m helping her move closer to the Biblical goal of serving her future family well as we scour the cupboards and try to retrieve the mess. If I’m frying an egg for my husband, I try to think of it in terms of being a godly example to my girls. In reading through this, it seems high and lofty, but it’s not. It’s all in how we look at the everyday happenings. Which brings me to #2 . . .

    2. Time in the Word and in prayer. I’ll tell you right now that as we came to the end of last year, I had a real burden to make 2009 a year of increased prayer. The Lord confirmed that direction in many ways. Here it is the end of January and already I’ve missed more days than not in taking undisturbed quiet time to pray. (Just being shamefacedly honest here.) Of course, when I do take the time it’s much easier to keep the mental attitude in #1.

    I guess what I’m trying to say is that I try to keep in mind that it’s not an either/or situation; i.e., we can either think about great ideals or about the endless succession of small things. That’s not it. We need to adjust our thinking so that the small things are the building blocks of our great ideals. It’s a daily application of 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:17, come to think of it.

    October 4, 2013 at 4:25 am
    bethanna
    Participant

    Sonya, your response to this thread is great! My sister and I were discussing these topics recently, but I couldn’t put my thoughts into words as you did. I especially love the point of small things being the building blocks to our goals. I’ll have my sis read it. Isn’t there a past blog centered around this CM quote?

    October 4, 2013 at 3:43 pm
    Sonya Shafer
    Moderator

    Thanks for the encouragement; I needed this reminder today, as well. Here are a few related posts:

    A Day of Small Things

    Let Us Not Grow Weary

    Do Not Lose Sight of Great Ideals

    October 4, 2013 at 3:46 pm
    sheraz
    Participant

    I’m printing it and putting it on my HS planning book and in my Book of Mottoes. I SO needed to hear this today – not just for school, but in other areas of my life, too. 

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